Alex's Zesty Red Curry

Today's recipe is from Alex! He cooks this dish for us often, but until starting this blog I'd never thought to ask him for the recipe so I could cook it. I gave it a try last night, and it worked out well. Since two of us in this house are vegetarian, I replaced the chicken with tofu - and Alex cooked up some chicken for himself separately. A lot of Alex's recipes have vegetarian options like this.

ALEX'S ZESTY RED CURRY

INGREDIENTS:


4 juicy, ripe roma tomatoes, cut lengthwise into quarters

1 chicken breast, cut into cubes (switch with tofu for a vegetarian alternative)

1 stick of lemon grass, cut into pieces of about 1cm each

1 small brown onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 carrot, cut into small, thin sticks

A few kaffir lime leaves

1 lime or lemon

3 bok choi

2 tablespoons of good quality red curry paste

1 ½ tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped

A handful of cashew nuts (optional)

2 tablespoons each of extra virgin olive oil and canola or vegetable oil, blended (olive oil has a lower boiling point than canola or vegetable oil and combining them will help avoid burning the oil, while preserving the taste and health benefits of olive oil)



METHOD:

1. Heat the oil in a large wok, and brown the chicken. Remove the chicken pieces and reserve.

2. Add the carrot sticks and cook on a high heat for about 30 seconds, until they start to change colour.

3. Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook, stirring continuously, until the onion turns translucent.

4. Add the curry paste and mix through before returning the chicken to the wok and adding the tomatoes and bok choi. Mix through until coated with curry paste.

5. Add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, the juice of half the lime or lemon and half the coriander. To intensify the citrus component of the flavour, you could also add the husk of the half lemon or lime you have just squeezed over the food.

6. Set the heat to low and cover, allowing the tomatoes to wilt and spread their juices through the curry, providing the liquid for it. You can add a little water. Or another tomato if too dry. Stir occasionally.

7. Cook for about 15 minutes, occasionally removing the lid a and stirring.

8. Stir in the cashew nuts and remove the lemon or lime half before serving with jasmine rice. Squeeze a little juice from the other half of the lime or lemon and sprinkle with the remaining coriander before serving.

9. Serve with rice.

~ it works!